If you are a woman resident of Delhi-NCR and planning to have baby, then you must give your plans a second thought. Because, the poisonous air of Delhi which you are inhaling will adversely affect the health of the foetus growing inside your body and even put your life in danger. Pollution in Delhi's air has now breached the dangerous levels and persons of all age group including children and adolescents are affected with it.
“Even before a child is born the air pollution outside will affects its health. The polluted air which the mother inhales results in pre-mature deliveries, low birth weight etc,” said Dr. Vivek Nangia, Director and Head of the department of Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital. Also children born before term have a significant risk of neurological disorders and permanent physical disabilities. In has been found in several research that exposure to air pollution can increase the baby's chances of developing asthma later in life because particulate matter pollution breaches the placenta.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also issued a stern warning on potential health hazards, describing Delhi as a “public health emergency state” and asking authorities to shut schools as a precautionary measure.
Medical experts told that in Delhi nearly about 40 percent of school going children have some or other ailments related to air pollution. Problems like running nose, allergies, nasal congestion, cough, chest pain, fever etc are quite common. The effects of air pollution involve a large variety of illnesses, starting with the simple irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat or diminished energy levels, headache and dizziness.
According to doctors, as the children are in growing stage and their immunity has not developed fully they are more prone to the harmful pollutants in air. Dr. Raj Kumar of Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, Delhi University (DU) said that pollution in air leads to exhilaration of asthma thus further worsening the condition. “The lungs of children are in growing stage and they are more prone to pollutants as compared to adults,” said Dr. Kumar.
Moreover, it's only the human population that has to bear this menace but even the animals are affected with it. Prof. M.M Chaturvedi , Head of the Department of Zoology at Delhi University (DU) says that air pollution affects animals in worst manner as several animals like birds, stray dogs, cows , squirrels etc are directly exposed to polluted air for most of the time as compared to humans who also spend sometimes inside house. Further human beings can use air-filters, masks etc. but not the animals.
“A systematic study on effect of air pollutants on animals health is needed, the present studies are more concentrated on just counting the animals,” said Prof. Chaturvedi.